


Hostage

by hawkstout



Category: Batman - All Media Types, World's Finest (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Kidnapping, Lex is a creep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-28
Updated: 2013-08-28
Packaged: 2017-12-24 21:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/944801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkstout/pseuds/hawkstout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick is in the hands of Lex Luthor, but does he really need to be afraid?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hostage

**Author's Note:**

> So my hand is wrapped in a bandage and it’s gotten in the way of my typing so I’m doing a bunch of short fic prompts while I wait for it to heal so I can go back to my long fics. They’re all 500 words or less. (This one I went well over 500 words, but I love writing Lex and Dick interacting apparently)
> 
> Lillybe-forest’s Prompt:
> 
> Lex has Dick captive to use as leverage against Bruce for a business deal? (I dunno, I miss Emperor’s Crown.)
> 
> Note: Boy hostage. Dick is eleven.

“Please, let me go.”

The voice was small and scared.

Dick Grayson was tied to a chair, a blindfold covered his eyes. Lex moved forward and brushed the boy’s hair back. Dick tensed shrinking down into his chair.

“No need to worry,” He reassured the child. “Your guardian loves you. He’ll give in.”

It was a chess game easy enough to win against his opponent. Bruce Wayne was soft and he would do anything for the child Lex had taken.

It was a business deal of no real importance, a technology bid. If Lex was honest he had no real need for it, he could pick up any other or simply push to outbid Wayne Enterprises.

It wasn’t really about the contract.

Wayne had humiliated him at his own fundraiser.

“Don’t you think the whole ‘Superman is evil’ thing is getting old, Lexie? I mean, the guy rescues cats out of trees. Sure, he doesn’t have much fashion sense, but at least he has nice hair, right Cue ball?”

It had been on the front of several trashy magazines and the cover story for entertainment sections in all the major newspapers. Bruce Wayne’s Hair-larity.

Gotham ate him up, loved Bruce Wayne. The city suffered from monsters and freaks and yet they worshiped fools like Wayne who were the very root of the city’s decay with their vapidity and idiocy.

“What do you think of your guardian?” Lex asked. He leaned down and squeezed the boy’s shoulder. Richard was trying not to fidget.

“I love him,” Richard answered with a child’s honesty.

“But what do you think of him?”

“I…”

“It can’t be easy for you. Relating to that man. That buffoon. You’ve already figured it out, right?”

“No,” Dick said quickly.

“You have. Who am I?”

“Please, I haven’t, really.”

“Richard.”

“Mr. Luthor, please.”

“Lex, always Lex, Richard.”

He smiled and pulled off the blindfold. He moved around and tilted the boy’s chin up. Blue eyes sparkled with tears. Fear.

“You really don’t have to be afraid, Richard. I would never harm you. I like you.”

Dick blinked the tears away forcing himself to be braver, “But I—”

“It’s all politics. I’m sorry to have given you such a scare.”

 

“Alfred—”

“Your driver’s fine. Just knocked out. You know, I was a boy like you,” Lex said. He spun the child’s chair so he had a good view of Metropolis. “I was raised by a drunk. An ignorant pleb. I see how you try to hide your intelligence when you’re with him. You want to be perfect for him, don’t you? So you get good grades, win all the medals on the sports teams, but when you’re with him you come back down to his level so he doesn’t feel alienated. You laugh at his stupid jokes and make your own silly puns.”

“I don’t. I—”

“Love him. What a good boy. You’re kinder than I am,” Lex tousled his hair. “You shouldn’t tell him it was me.”

“I won’t.” Dick promised.

“Why not?” Lex smirked, teasing him.

“You would never really hurt me… you just wanted to get back at him… for what he said to you in front of those reporters.”

Lex smirked, “That’s right. Do you know why else?”

Dick shook his head.

“Because, I am a very good man to have in your corner. I like you Richard, and if I continue to like you I’ll begin to favour you and you may need my favour in the future. Bruce Wayne’s precious child or not.”

“And he’d get mad.”

“Hm?”

“Bruce, he would get mad and then you’d… this was enough. You don’t have to hurt him anymore than this, Mr.—Lex. Please. He may not be perfect, but he’s everything to me.”

Lex felt a warmth, a pride towards the child. He really did get it. He understood his father figure was less than competent. If he learned of Lex’s involvement, Wayne would lash out like a dumb animal without thinking of strategy or consequence. If he attacked Lex would crush him. It was as simple as that. Wayne wasn’t at his level. His company, yes, a worthy rival, but the man himself? A figure head. Trash.

The child’s adore towards such a contemptible beast was the only sour note. Richard would blossom despite Bruce Wayne, but if he was Lex Luthor’s he would flourish.

It almost made him want to adopt, but he would want a perfect child. Intelligent, strong, athletic, beautiful. He’d want Dick Grayson with perhaps a bit less kind-heartedness.

Charitable people annoyed him. They all reminded him of his mother. She died because she gave too much. This boy would never reach full potential because he would always pull himself back for Wayne. Then again, his sweetness added to the boy’s charm

He played with a lock of his dark hair. It was fine. When Bruce Wayne was gone, this child would take over. He would be harder to beat, but not so hard with all the flaws Bruce Wayne was building in him. 

Lex planned to have him in his pocket by then anyway.

He tilted the boy’s head up again. He’d be better off beside Lex. Might as well push the point now.

He untied him.

“Come, let’s have ice cream while we wait for the phone call, hm? I’m really not so scary am I?”

Richard smiled a little and shook his head shyly.

“Thata boy,” He took Dick’s hand and led him to the kitchen. He pushed back the pleasantness of having the smaller hand in his and remembered Richard was a pawn and potentially a knight to bring into his service.

-

“Was it an important contract?”

“No. Not to either of us. He was looking for an excuse.”

Dick was giving his full report. Bruce Wayne had hugged Dick Grayson hard in front of the cameras. They were separated by space the moment they were out of the limelight. Batman hadn’t worried for him at all.

Dick reminded himself it was because he could have escaped at any time. In these situations he was ordered to act like a scared child unless his life or the lives of others were in immediate danger. Although he knew about the awful things Luthor had done, he also knew Luthor wasn’t about to kill the ward of Bruce Wayne. 

He wished the hug was real though. Even though he hadn’t been in any danger, it would have been nice if Bruce had wondered: what if?

“He saw through me.”

“Hm?”

“He saw I wasn’t who I was pretending to be and how… who I am doesn’t go with who the fake Bruce Wayne is.”

He called him the ‘Fake’ Bruce Wayne because referring to Bruce Wayne as a mask always made him feel uncomfortable.

Batman had a brief disappointed look that made Dick feel ashamed for his inadequacy.

“He’s a smart man and he knows how to read people. He is never one to let your guard down around. Lex Luthor is one of the most dangerous men on the planet because of his mind. You’re only eleven. The fact that he didn’t see more is a credit to you.”

Dick felt a small flush of pride.

“Anything else?”

“He gave me homemade strawberry ice cream. He’s probably the nicest kidnapper I’ve ever had.”

And Dick could compare in detail.

Batman gave a small lip quirk at his joke. That always made him feel triumphant.

He was about to go but then he turned. “He seemed… lonely.”

“He was jealous that Bruce Wayne has you. It isn’t loneliness Dick, it’s greed. People like Luthor don’t need people, they want them.”

Dick shivered.


End file.
